Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate romance and friendship in the fhorms of greeting cards, flower bouquets, and lots of sweets. Originally a Christian feast day celebrating Christian martyrs all named Valentine, it has become a more lighthearted holiday overtime. With the formal recognition of Valentine’s Day centuries ago, different celebrations, traditions, and symbols have been exchanged as a result.
One unforgettable tradition of Valentine’s Day is writing a letter of affection towards one’s lover. However, the origin of this popular tradition has an unclear past. There have been many men named Valentine who have been recognized as martyrs of the Church, but one particular priest from the third century has been discerned to begin this card-giving tradition. According to one legend, Valentine was imprisoned and was to be executed under the orders of Emperor Claudius II of Rome. Before his execution, Valentine wrote a letter to a girl he was smitten with, perhaps his jailer’s daughter. It is said that he signed his letter, “from your Valentine,” an expression that is still popular today. The beginnings of this tradition are still a mystery, but thanks to that legend it has popularized the holiday through St. Valentine’s courage and affection.
A recognizable Valentine’s Day tradition is the buying of sweets for loved ones. According to capitaloneshopping.com, American consumers purchase an average of fifty-eight million pounds of chocolate on Valentine’s Day week. Confectioneries are by far the most popular gift on this day, followed by flowers and jewelry. Candied conversation hearts are the most popular candy sold on that day preceded by heart-shaped chocolate boxes. The origin of these sweet treats dates back to the 1800s, when British chocolate-maker Richard Cadbury revolutionized the use of the heart-shaped box of chocolates. Positive public reception skyrocketed, and today around thirty-six million heart-shaped candy boxes are sold around the world.
Another common way of celebrating Valentine’s Day is also through the gift of flowers to one’s lover, typically roses. There are more purchases for flowers on Valentine’s Day than any other holiday, accounting for thirty percent of America’s yearly flower sales. The gifting of flowers has dated back to the seventeenth century as an expression of affection. It’s like a different language, in a way.
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that gives the opportunity to show affection through gifts, traditions, and gestures. With a changing world, we hope that Valentine’s Day will be a day to celebrate the love and traditions that have sprung from it.